


New Beginnings

by goobzoop



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, College, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2020-11-26 13:31:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 18,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20931038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goobzoop/pseuds/goobzoop
Summary: An AU where a college-aged Aaron Hotchner works at a movie theater and ends up meeting a very cute Spencer Reid. Aaron is one year older than Spencer.





	1. Good Afternoon, Clarice

**Author's Note:**

> My first post to AAO so I'm still working out the formatting!

"Next in line!" The dark haired boy called to the only person standing in the cue.

Not just a person, really, though, Aaron had noticed. It was a really _cute_ person, cute enough to the point where Aaron debated whether or not the boy was actually a hologram and he was living inside a very elaborate simulation.

"Good afternoon," Aaron told the hologram, "what are you seeing tonight?"

It took everything he had not to jump across the counter and smack his lips against those—

"One for Silence of the Lambs, please." the boy said, his voice dripping with an accent that Aaron couldn't place.

He punched the price into his register, feeling nervous and sort of hot all the sudden. "Hey, good choice. Haven't gotten many for that one so far. I love horror, myself. And psychology, actually, so this movie really ticks all boxes."

The boy across from him stared back, faintly smiling.

"Sorry, I'm rambling. I'm sure you just want your ticket. I just meant, well, should be good…" he trailed off, smiling shyly. He handed the ticket over, and for a split second their hands brushed against each other. Aaron knew now that he was not a hologram, but just a very cute boy with warm fingers.

A boy whose face instantly turned red.

"I, I, um, I like that too." he said, "No, I mean, both of those, too. Horror and psychology..."

"Really?" Aaron's face lit up with a big grin.

This time it was the boy who smiled shyly, "Yeah, I, um, I'm going to major in it. Psychology. At the University of Virginia."

Aaron's jaw dropped, and he wished he had been more suave. "You're going to UV? Really? Me too! And I'm taking psych, too!"

"Well, I'm starting this fall, yeah. I just moved here from Nevada."

"Cool!" Aaron grinned, "I'm a sophomore there."

He thought for a moment, and blurted out, "I guess that's why you only have one ticket."

The boy flushed, obviously embarrassed, "Yeah, I don't usually go to the movies alone," he tried to explain himself, "but yeah, I don't know anyone yet."

"You do now!" Aaron said encouragingly, and stuck his hand out across the counter. "I'm Aaron."

The boy looked at his hand for a second, seemingly debating the shake, but took it, and with a cheesy grin said, "I'm Spencer."

Aaron blushed.

"Spencer," he repeated. He liked the way it sounded, "I hope you enjoy the movie, Spencer."

Spencer ducked his head and smiled. "Thanks, Aaron. It was good meeting you."

\-------------------------------------

"Pssssssst"

Closer now. "Pssssssst, Spencer!"

Spencer turned his head and almost smacked right into Aaron who was leaning over the seat next to him now. "—ah."

They were the only two in the theatre so Aaron didn't really need to whisper, but he did it anyway. "Hey."

"Um, Hi."

"I never got your number."

"Oh, right, yeah."

"If we're going to be friends, you know." He whispered, leaning close to his ear. Aaron shoved his flip phone over, "Here, type it in."

_JIMMY! WATCH IT, HE'S— AHHHHHH!_

"—ah!" The pair jumped and squealed, Aaron giving a tiny high pitched scream, and Spencer a soft frightened gasp. The phone tumbled out of Spencer's grip and clunked onto to the floor. "Fuck!"

Spencer scooped it up quickly, "Shit, I'm sorry..." he shot Aaron a pair of puppy-dog eyes, "you still want my number, right?"

Aaron laughed and walked around the isle to plop down in the seat next to Spencer, "Uh, duh! I drop that thing like three times an hour!"

Spencer smiled. It made Aaron happy.

"Did you know that Dr. Lecter never actually said 'Hello, Clarice?'" Spencer piped up suddenly, "what he actually said in the novel was _'Good afternoon, Clarice.'_"

"No. no idea. I didn't actually read the book..." Aaron replied sheepishly.

Spencer spun to face him, animated now. "Wait, _what?_ You didn't read it? You _have_ to read it. I mean, it's amazing, it's so much more detailed than the movie, the intricacies alone, not to mention the subtle ironies," He said without a breath, and not noticing the blank stare he was receiving, "and I guess you didn't read The Red Dragon, either, then? I mean, clearly you didn't or you would have read Silence of the Lambs next. Oh, gosh." He shook his head like it was the saddest travesty in the world. "They didn't make a movie for The Red Dragon, even, and here were are watching the sequel-"

Aaron choked out a soft, "We?" But Spencer was on a tangent, he could tell, and he didn't want to stop him. Somehow he looked even more handsome now that he brimming with passion. Excited. Animated. Seemingly seeing something that Aaron wasn't, maybe something in his mind. Maybe he was a robot. Wait, was he actually a hologram after all?

"-and how can you watch the sequel if you haven't even read the first book? Which is _terrific_, by the way, it follows a FBI agent, Will Ghram, who tracks-" he stops suddenly.

"Wait, are you going to read it? I shouldn't spoil it. I like knowing things, and I don't care if I know the plot beforehand, but I've been told that most people don't... like it." He finished, a bit off kilter. "Spoilers."

But Aaron didn't care about the plot. Well, he _did_, and he was absolutely going to read it now, but he also, more than anything in this particular moment, wanted Spencer to continue. He grabbed Spencer's non-holographic arm, which was actually warm and cozy because he was wearing a baggy wool sweater, and urged him to continue.

"So, okay, so he's this badass FBI agent who tracks serial killers and he put one away, the one we're watching, Hannibal, and he- no, no, I can't say that part- well, anyway, he outsmarts this killer and finds all these ways to figure out who he is, and what he does, and why he acts the way he does. It's completely amazing. I read it when I was 11."

Aaron didn't realize he was holding onto Spencer's arm still, and probably looking like a dope. But if he was, Spencer didn't seem to care, because he had a big smile over his flushed, slightly embarrassed-looking face.

"You are so cool." Aaron said.

Spencer laughed, "Wait, what? Cool?"

Aaron nodded his head. "Yeah. You know a lot of stuff. Or, at least, man, you're like, really passionate. It's cool. It's authentic."

Spencer blushed, and a few strands of his long hair fell forward into his eyes, and he brushed it back behind his ear.

"That's... I mean, that's a first..." With his voice lowered again, he suddenly felt very aware that his new friend was very, very close. And touching his arm. And flashing him a huge, genuine smile. He didn't know what to say now.

Neither of them did, but they kept staring at each other.

Aaron leaned forward. He was _dangerously_ close to Spencer's face. He licked his lips, and brought his eyes up to meet Spencer's. Suddenly the movie theatre felt very small, and very hot, and it was maybe even the only place on earth that even existed at all.

The silence between them spoke and said that now was the time to move away if it was becoming too much. But it wasn't too much. Spencer didn't move away. So Aaron closed the small distance between them, pressing his lips softly against Spencer's. His heart fluttered. He felt dizzy. And, when he pulled back, he noticed all his breath was gone, and he was gasping for air.

Spencer leaned back in for more, and they exchanged several long, sloppy kisses that left them both with red, swollen lips.

"Oh, my god." Aaron panted and they pulled apart for the second time.

"What? Was, was that okay?" Spencer gasped.

"Yes! God, yes!" Aaron launched back at him to show him that _holy hell, yes, YES, that was okay._

This time Spencer was grinning ear to ear. "I think I really like Virginia..."

"And I have so much more of Virginia to show you. And I owe you another movie." Aaron gestured at the screen, "because we totally made-out through this one..."

"Well, we might as well keep at it, then." Spencer grinned, and leaned into another kiss.


	2. Binary Orbits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron and Spencer spend the summer together before the fall semester starts.

Aaron texted Spencer the next evening after he got off shift at the cinema, making plans with his new affliction to go look at records downtown, and grab some tacos from this amazing food truck that was his absolute favorite. Aaron thought it would be an exciting date, and it was. The two boys didn’t lack for conversation, and the touches were given freely and accepted readily. They had already kissed quite a few times which meant Aaron hadn’t felt his usual first-date jitters that accompanied not knowing what to do when, or how much, or how little. 

He took Spencer on several dates like this over the next month and a half, and Spencer had even taken him on a few too. Spencer’s dates may have been to places that Aaron had introduced him too, and one time it was even at the cinema where Aaron worked, but Aaron had cut him some lack since the younger boy still didn’t know the area yet. Plus, the cinema was where they had met, and it held some special meaning for them. 

Aaron had never had anyone like Spencer in his life and he was beginning to realize that Spencer hadn’t either. It was a whole new world of firsts for the both of them. Shakey hands, sweaty palms, hushed and unsure whispers. Multitudes of reassurances, and talking about feelings which felt _raw_, but also made Aaron’s chest warm in a way that felt so very _right_. Aaron felt truly vulnerable for the first time. He was surprised to say that he liked it, a lot, and found himself trusting Spencer so completely that it would absolutely, without a doubt in his mind, crush him to bits if it went south. He also trusted that Spencer was truthful when he said he felt that same way too. And Spencer was tender with his words, and his feelings; he wasn’t the type to lie. 

The two boys found themselves orbiting each other like a pair of rouge worlds slingshot together so tumultuously, yet so forcefully, that the orbital pattern need not rely around a star, only their own mutual patterns of existence. A binary partnership floating happily in a cosmic neighborhood of endless possibility. 

September was fast approaching. It was the second to last week of August, the leaves were turning their backs on the world, and dawning the reddish orange hues of autumn. Aaron and Spencer spent this time trying to squeeze in a few last outings before school began and everything changed. Before they had less time for each other, and the bubble of their two-man-band was burst. Aaron took Spencer to the Air and Space Museum which supplied Spencer with an _endless_ assortment of facts and statistics that Aaron guessed he wouldn’t stop hearing about for at least another month or two. Not that he minded. Spencer’s tangents were music to Aaron’s ears. 

Spencer took Aaron to Target to pick up school supplies, and the banality of it had given Aaron a big dopey grin. He’d be the first to admit that all he had ever wanted was a boyfriend to do all the boring things in life with. Just someone to always _be there_ and experience life together. To make memories about the small things. He was a relationship kind of guy, and he was going to make Spencer his boyfriend or he was going to die trying. Though, honestly, Aaron had half-assumed he already was. Like an unspoken agreement that was made through longing glances and chaste kisses. They hadn’t said it outright, not yet, but he and Spencer _had_ spent the entire summer together. They became joined at the hip since the moment the younger boy had arrived. 

But on the other hand, they had yet to become intimate beyond kissing and cuddling, and holding hands. That didn’t mean anything bad, right? Aaron wasn’t sure. He knew that it wasn’t _just_ Spencer that was holding back on that front. He wasn’t ready either. Neither of them had initiated yet and neither of them had seemed bothered by it. Not yet, at least. But did that mean that Spencer wasn’t his boyfriend? Was sex the all-encompassing factor that determined a couple? Or were they just friends who held hands and touched lips? Aaron had never been in a real relationship before. He’d have to ask. It was the only way to know for sure. 

But he didn’t want to ask because that’s _embarrassing_ and _scary,_ and he didn’t want to bring it up, not yet. 

“It’s our last week.” Aaron pouted, looking at his companion from across the small table. 

“Oh my gosh, I know. Time went by _way_ too fast.” Spencer stuck out his tongue in mock exasperation. 

“I feel like I’ve known you forever but it’s only been 2 months.”

“Technically, it’s been two months, three days, eight hours—“ Spencer blushed and ducked his head suddenly when he caught sight of Aaron’s expression.

“You would know.” Aaron’s little grin was gleaming at him. “That’s so cool that you can do maths so quick like that. Or maybe adorable.” Aaron took a sip of his coffee. “Yep, definitely adorable. But also still cool. Adorable and cool.”

Spencer blushed an even deeper shade of red and tried to hide his smile behind his oversized mug. “No, you are!”

Aaron smiled and rolled his eyes. Also, sometimes, dumb. 

— — — 

The pair decided to move into the dorms together since neither was going to get much help from their families. Spencer was placed in one of the freshman dorms, Madison Hall, while Aaron was staying in a second-year hall called District House. They were situated not too far away from each other and that had made Aaron very relieved. He could have been stuck in South Hall which, _god forbid_ required a shuttle to get to the main campus. 

Aaron had helped lug Spencer’s copious boxes and tubs full of books and bobbles and bits up the elevator (thank god), and within two hours they moved everything up. Rise and repeat for Aaron’s dorm, except there were less books and more wires and spare batteries for Aaron’s big clunky laptop and other gadgets. It was nearing 1pm and the two said their hesitant goodbyes before sharing a final kiss, and both heading to their respective dorms. 

“I don’t want to go” Spencer breathed into Aaron’s neck, his arms wrapped tightly around his chest. 

“Mm, me neither, Spence.” Aaron nuzzled his head on the top of the younger boy’s, and placed a kiss on top. 

“Let’s go back to July and do it all over again.”

Aaron laughed longingly. “I bet you can in that head of yours.”

Spencer smirked. “Yeah. I can, and I will.” He leaned back and captured the older boy’s lips in a slow, passionate kiss. 

“But, but what’s going to happen now? I’m, uh, I’m nervous…” Spencer whispered on Aaron’s lips when he broke the kiss.

“I’m going to introduce you to all my friends, we’re going to study together all the time, and we’ll have so much fun together. College is going to be a blast with you, Spence. Don’t be afraid. When you got to Virginia it was all new, and then it got better. Now it’ll get even better again.”

“You had better not be lying.” Spencer broke out in a teasing smile.

“To you? Never.” He gave him a small peck on the cheek.

“Miss you already, Aar.” Spencer snuggled back into the hug a second time, squeezing him too tight for his own good, and stepped back to look him in the eyes. 

Aaron grabbed both of his hands in his. “Dinner tonight after everything?”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Spencer had his freshman orientation and Aaron had a meet n’ greet for his hall. They parted ways and just like that, everything changed.


	3. Pretty Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron meets Spencer's new friends.

Not all change is bad, however. Sometimes change is beneficial. Like a heavy downpour of rain as spring starts to warm the earth after a long period of winter frost. The change allows for the seeds to pop out from their hidey-holes in the ground, and snake their roots into the newly nourished soil.  
Spencer was like a flower after a rainfall. 

A slow-growing flower, who had to try _very_ hard not to succumb to the lingering winter chills, but a flower nonetheless. 

It made Aaron happy to see his maybe-boyfriend recite his day excitedly, hands waving, eyes sparkling. 

“—And then, even though I thought I was going to, like, _fall over_ with nerves, I ran up to the last person and I _shouted_, Aaron, like in front of all those people, and I was all ‘I’m Spencer, and that’s and that’s Penelope, and we like Star Trek!’ Can you believe that? I’ve never done anything like that. Plus, I had to link my arms with her, too, and I didn’t flinch all that much. The someone linked on my other arm and shouted it again. It was really cool.”

Aaron smiled cheek to cheek, and took a bite of his cheeseburger. “I remember playing chain-link last year. You wanna know what I said I liked?” Aaron blushed.

Spencer nodded. 

“Boy bands.” Aaron avoided Spencer’s eyes as long as he could, then slow like honey, drew them up only to see his boy trying _so gallantly_ to suppress a mountain of giggles. 

“Fine. Just laugh!” Aaron chuckled, and buried his face in his hands. 

“Boy Bands!” Spencer gasped for air through his giggle-fit, and had to lean his head down against the table to keep from falling over. 

“I know, I know! I was so nervous! I didn’t understand the game! I thought we all had to just jump in and just say whatever the last person did!”

“Boy bands.” Spencer was winding down, his breathing starting to normalize in-between sporadic hitched breaths. “If ya want me giiirl, let me know…” he sang giddily. 

Aaron reach out and ran his fingers through Spencer’s long curls, and Spencer kept his head down on the table a moment longer just to feel Aaron’s touch. 

“I missed you, Aar. It would’ve been so much more fun with you there.” Spencer cooed. 

“I missed you too. I thought about you all day.” The oder boy winked at him. 

“Derek!” Spencer’s head shot up, and he waved at someone across the room. 

A well-built boy with a blinding smile came over, and Spencer scooted over so that he could take a seat next to him. 

“Hey, Pretty boy!” Derek slapped Spencer on the back. 

“What’re you doing here, getting dinner? This is my, my uh, this is my Aaron.” Spencer beamed and gestured at Aaron from across that table. 

“Hey, Aaron, nice to meet you. I’m Derek. I’m Spencer’s roommate.” Derek reached out to shake his hand. 

Aaron raised his eyebrows, looking Derek up and down. _Where did the ‘Pretty boy’ thing come from?_ “Hey, yeah, likewise. You wanna eat with us?”

“Absolutely! Let me just go grab my Baby girl—“ he scanned the room quickly, jumped up from his seat bustling with energy, and got lost in the swarm of students.

“Pretty boy, huh?” Aaron grinned. He felt like his stomach was shriveling up.

“Yeah, he’s pretty heavy with the nicknames. Just wait till you hear Penelope and him together.” Spencer scrunched up his nose and snorted. 

When Spencer’s new roommate finally returned, it was with a a vibrant young lady, completely decked out in every imaginable color under the sun. Her hair was half pulled up in a bun, and half down in long colorful wisps of red, orange, yellow, and pink. 

“Wow.” Aaron looked stunned. 

“Well I’ll take_ that_ as a compliment Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome!” Penelope plopped down onto the bench next to Derek.

“Who’s this, Spencer? You _have_ to introduce me to this delicious slice of pie.” Penelope eyed Aaron and winked. 

“Wait a minute right there, Baby girl!“ Derek laughed and threw an arm around Penelope’s shoulders. 

“What, my Chocolate thunder, _Jealous?_” She giggled and snuck her arm down around his waist. 

Aaron could see how Spencer’s ears had turned red, and he looked like all the words had been plucked right out of him. 

“I’m Spencer’s boyfriend.” Aaron said, even though he felt like the room was caving in and the walls might be getting closer together like in those movies where you get crushed in the middle, usually impaled by a thousand spikes, and the hero slips out at the last second, except he wasn’t the hero and he wasn’t escaping because everyone was staring at him and he could _not_ look at Spencer. No, _definitely_ not. The spikes were closing in. 

“Oh my GOSH! No way!” Penelope squeed “Derek why didn’t you tell me! Look at me making a _fool_ of myself! Spencer I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to flirt with your beau, oh gosh, look at me- total blunder!” 

Penelope fake-fainted onto Derek and he petted her on the head soothingly. 

“Wait- not the hair! Do _not_ tough the hair!" 

Spencer nudged Aaron with his shoe under the table in a silent request to _look at me_ and Aaron obliged, unable to deny him. 

He was met with an adoring smile and eyes that screamed affection. He retuned the smile easily. Spencer mouth the word “boyfriend” to him, and he nodded back, turning the color of a ripe tomato. Maybe he did slip out at the last second. The only spikes he felt were good ones in his heart whenever he looked at his chestnut-haired boyfriend with the goofy smile. 

“Well, well. Pretty boy’s got a handsome boy.” Derek grinned at Spencer and nudged his on the shoulder playfully. 

“Shut up, Derek!” Spencer grinned ear to ear. “But yes, I do.”

The little group finished up their meals, and through heavy banter, managed to make tentative plans for the next day to meet up again. Aaron and Spencer said their goodbyes to Derek and Penelope and took off together, hand in hand. 

— — — 

That weekend, Spencer was holed up in Aaron’s dorm sitting in a waterfall of papers strewn haphazardly all over his bed. Aaron grinned at his from across the room at his desk, where he sat already writing up a paper for his psych class. They worked in a comfortable silence. Spencer would leaf rapidly through the pages of his textbook, and Aaron would occasionally scroll down on his pc as he read. The halls outside bustled with rowdy students. When Spencer lost his train of thought, he would look up at Aaron, who always seemed to sense his gaze, and throw him a little smile. 

After a few hours of study, Aaron closed his laptop and swiveled his chair to face Spencer in his bed. Spencer looked up. His glasses were sliding down his nose, and he pushed them back up, a mannerism which Aaron found absolutely adorable. 

“Do you want go out tonight with my friends?” 

Spencer’s eyes got wide. “Yes. Who? Yes.”

“Dave, Emily, and JJ, they were all in my dorm last year and we’ve kept in touch.” Aaron got up to sit on the bed, but not before sweeping pages away first in order to clear a space. “Well, except Dave, I’ve actually known him a long time, we went to high school together. You’ll like him.”

“I can’t wait to meet your friends.” Spencer leaned in for a kiss. “I’m still nervous though.” 

“Don’t be. They’ll love you.” Aaron winked, and took the book from Spencer’s hands, who wasn’t reading it anymore anyway, put it to the side, and pressed his lips against the younger boys softy. 

Aaron brought his hand up to cradle Spencer’s face, trailing his thumb along his cheek his in little motions. He crawled up to where he was sitting, and sat beside him against the wall. Spencer pressed back, opening the kiss and sliding his tongue in his boyfriend’s mouth, exploring languidly, not bothering to suppress the moans that were escaping him. Aaron could feel his face flush, and he grinned into the kiss, happier than anything. Gently, he brushed his teeth against Spencer’s bottom lip, and bit it lightly. The noise it elicited from Spencer was heavenly, so Aaron did it a second time before moving his kisses to the corner of his mouth, along his jaw, and down to the supple skin of his neck where he planted sweet kisses. Aaron licked and nibbled at Spencer’s soft flesh, and breathed in his scent with greed, loving the feeling of desire that it brought him. 

“I could really get used to college.” Spencer breathed heavily, craning his neck for Aaron. “Being here with you is amazing. It’s so much better than anything I could have imagined. Mmmmh.”

“So much better.” Aaron moaned.


	4. Don't Close Your Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spencer and Aaron have long talks with wet eyes

Cavanaugh’s was a hole-in-the wall cafe that the underclassmen of WVU frequented in the days before they were old enough to enter the bars, or conniving enough to procure a fake ID. It would do for now. The coffee was served in more unnecessarily extravagant forms than you could count, and the music played songs that would never grace the radio with their presence. 

“That’s a long way to come just for WVU” Emily half-shouted to Spencer across the little booth in the back of the shop.

“Yeah, very. I was awarded a scholarship, though, full ride.” Spencer told her, a bit nonchalantly. 

“Wow. Smarty pants, huh?” 

“I guess you could say that.” Spencer blushed. 

“Spencer is _so_ smart. He’s amazing. You should watch him read.” Aaron gushed to Emily.

“Yeah, I uh, can read like 20 thousand words per minute.”

“Wait, _really_?” JJ joined the conversation with interest.  


“That’s impossible!” Emily laughed, looking at Spencer like a zoo animal. 

Spencer blushed again. The redness crept up his neck and greeted his nose. Aaron pulled him close in a hug and placed a kiss on his cheek. “Nope, I’ve seen it. Totally legit.”

“Well Damn, Spencer, you’ve got to give me some tips!” Emily flashed a bright smile. “I’m barely passing my basic english course as it is." 

“No way, he’s my study-buddy.” Aaron grinned and poked Spencer’s side, eliciting a giggle out of him. 

Aaron looked across the shop and spotted Dave sauntering in an hour late. He waved over at his friend, and he arrived at the table apologizing for his tardiness. He had been held up helping one of the students scrub hot tomato bits off the walls after they had decided to microwave it on high for 9 minutes, for no good reason at all. 

“Perks of being an RA.” Dave sighed. He had a glint of mischief in his smile, and Aaron knew that his friend reveled in the antics of his dorm-students whether he would admit it or not. 

“Oh.” Spencer squeaked, and turned all eyes on him. “That was, uh, my dorm, I think. My friend Penelope said she was doing an experiment that involved red squishy foods and hot places.”

Dave laughed and rolled his eyes. “You’re in Madison hall then, kid?”

Dave supervised half of the floors in that hall, gaining free room and board in the process. Not without a price though, as he became the sounding board for everyone’s problems. 

“Yep. That’s the one.”

Dave slid into the booth and everyone scooted down a ways to accommodate him. Aaron pressed up against Spencer. He could feel the heat radiating from his thigh, and their arms rested comfortably touching. 

“Dave is a post-grad.” Aaron explained to Spencer. “He’s working on his masters.” 

“Oh really? What in? I have on-“ Spencer stopped himself, and tried to play it off with a cough.

“It’s in psychological and psychiatric anthropology.” Dave shrugged. “Bit of a mouthful.”

Aaron was still eyeing Spencer. “You have one what?” 

“Eh, nothing.” Spencer shrugged in a way that Aaron thought wasn’t very casual.

“No really, what do you mean?” He raised his eyebrows.

“A PhD!” JJ giggled across the table, jabbing Emily with her elbow and making her laugh. 

“In kissing boyyyys” Emily teased through giggles. 

Dave shook his head from beside them.

“Yeah, I do.” Spencer said, kind of clipped. 

Aaron sent him a questioning look.

“Wait, are you taking a piss?” Dave put down his coffee. “You don’t really have a PhD, kid, do you? I thought you were 20.”

“Yeah, well, I am.” Spencer could feel all eyes on him, like he a was a lonely gazelle in a ring of lions. 

“So, then what are you talking about?”

“Well, I actually graduated high school early. Then I went to college right after, then, uh, phd.” 

Aaron beside him looked a bit dejected. “You never told me that.”

“I don’t like to talk about it so much.” Spencer then whispered to him. “But I can tell you more later. There’s… a lot more to the story.”

“Well, what in then?” JJ pressed on.

“Chemistry… and Mathematics.”

“TWO?” Emily dropped her mug and coffee spilled onto the table, causing the group to yell and franticly dab with napkins. 

“Holy Shit. And I thought I was in the thick of it.” Dave whistled. “Guess I can’t complain anymore.”

“I just, uh, do what the school counselors tell me to basically.”

“Well it’s fucking _impressive,_ kid.”

“You sure pick em well, Aaron.’ JJ laughed, and Aaron thought that the group was doing a pretty good job of making his new boyfriend feel welcomed. 

“Is that how you landed the elusive Hotchner? With that big brain of yours? Must be some sort of evil genius.” Dave smirked, and wiggled his eyebrows at Aaron. 

“Hey! I’m not elusive. I’m just, uh, selective.” Aaron pouted and pulled Spencer closer to him. 

— — — 

Over the next few weeks Aaron stayed glued to Spencer’s side, the two of them tramping around campus like a pair of siamese cats. They were together in the library, the cafeteria, and late at night in the common rooms, cuddled up having whispered conversations. When people talked about them it was never Aaron this, or Spencer that, it was Aaron and Spencer, or Spencer and Aaron, like they came out in the same breath and to say them separately was to make an outlandish grammatical mistake.

Aaron’s heart burst at the seams when Spencer confided in him all of the things from his past that he dared not speak before, from his absent father and institutionalized mother to the horror of growing up too fast in a place that barely knew his name. Plus, the bullies. The fucking names, the one-sided fights, the nasty notes filled with hateful messages. Aaron’s heart could have also been cooked solid with the fire that burned in his chest for the boy who endured so much and still made it out on the other side with an innocent smile and hopeful eyes. 

It wasn’t only Spencer that had it rough, though. Aaron didn’t know much about a good family either. For the first time in his life too, Aaron felt safe telling someone about the vile things that went on behind closed doors in the Hotchner household. He told Spencer all about the way his father loved to paint his skin in black and blue. How he liked to do the same to his wife. To Sean. Spencer listened intently, Aaron completely unaware that Spencer would catalogue every word, every sentence, and every grimace in his mind for good. Aaron let him wrap his slender arms around his shoulders while he silently cried. For him, it was a release badly needed; a floodgate opening after being padlocked shut for years and years. 

Aaron didn’t think the first time he would take off his shirt around Spencer would be to let him trace his fingers along the scars that his father had gifted him. He would have told you with complete certainty that it would have been tossed off in the throes of passion one night when they finally moved into uncharted territories. This was better, in a way. You don’t realize just how deep the depths of love go until you sink under, going down, down, _down_. Eventually you can’t see the glimmer of the ocean top, and you’re surrounded by dark, calming water. You don’t know which way is up, and you don’t care. You’re just _there_. The feeling is nice. The feeling was nice knowing that Spencer didn’t find his tarnished body ugly. He could bare it all to him, and he would accept it with a caring smile. Spencer thought that it was beautiful, and he said as much. 

“Don’t close your eyes, Aaron, you’re beautiful.” Spencer looked up at him, hands still resting on a pink indentation that Aaron could have told you was from the night that his father came fucking wasted (as usual) and decided to put out his cigarette on the closest thing that could feel _pain_. “Don’t you ever forget how beautiful you are. Promise me.”

He promised. 

In the shared home of their own personal miseries, they found strength. An understanding that transcended words. The kind of understanding you feel in your gut. It sits there all-knowing, and directs you like a marionette, telling you just how to feel, and what to say, and don’t you _dare_ disobey it, because it just _knows_. Aaron and Spencer _knew_ this was something, and no force in the world could have stopped them from finding out what.


	5. Harmony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spencer finds out that he's being put in an accelerated program, much to his own disapproval.

Harmony doesn’t exist forever in life. It can’t, really. To err is human, and every human errs. Life can more accurately be compared to an ocean. The calmness of the doldrums, the swell of the currents, the brutality of the waves. Everything is constantly in motion, moving from one state to the next. To stay in the beauty of a lull would be to stay stagnant, and that rarely produces anything worth meaning. No, life creates currents and waves to push you further, and farther than you had thought possible. It pushes you despite that hardship that it accompanies it. The buildup, the climb, the crescendo. But it breaks. And it brings you back to a peaceful lull. Always changing, moving, progressing. Not always harmonious, but nonetheless, always growing.

It sucks, too. Because people _like_ harmony, and they _don’t like _change. 

While Aaron was busy studying for midterms, Spencer was walking into the University’s academic advisement office. He had gotten an email earlier in the week asking him to come down and discuss the course of his studies. He met with an older woman who went by Mrs. Merriweather, and she was greatly interested in him. A good trait to have, really, as someone in charge of his, and a hundred or so other kids’ successes. Apparently several of his professors were more than impressed with the work he’s been doing. Not only the quality of the work, but the speed at which he completed it as well. Plus, any google search could have told you all about the young genius and his academic prowess. And there were a few searches. They’d all come to the conclusion (Had they a meeting? Spencer wondered who was talking to whom, and when), and Mrs. Merriweather agreed, that Spencer should rev up his progress at WVU. Starting with early finals, and then registration to higher level courses pending results. But Spencer knew he’d ace them. 

He sank his head into his hands, feeling once again that all too familiar feeling of being _alone_. Another school year surrounded by people who weren’t his age. Once again, the young little genius. God, damnit. 

“God damnit.” Spencer mumbled under his breath. 

The ball was already in motion. _Here come the currents. _

\------------

Aside from his own deep-seated dread, Aaron’s opinion was the second factor that was causing Spencer grief. 

Aaron took it surprisingly well, to his immediate relief. At least that part was going to be okay. 

“They’re bumping me up a year.” Spencer said with a scowl as he barged in Aaron’s dorm, guns ‘ablazing. 

“Who’s doing what now?” Aaron swiveled around in his chair where he was perched, one knee up to his chest, hair sticking out from every angle screaming _Bed head! Comb your hair!_ He had been bent over his textbook since 5 that morning going over everything he’d shoveled into his brain in the past few weeks of the new semester. 

“Academic advisement. The advised me, but not so subtly.” Spencer stood near the bed, shaking. “They’re bumping me up a year, Aar.”

“Really?” Aaron pried his eyes away from the book. His boyfriend was more flustered than he’d ever seen him before. 

“Yeah! And, like, I don’t even get a say! They just told me all the dates and times and classes like I’m some sort of fucking puppet that they can control.”

Spencer had never cursed before. Not that Aaron was aware of. 

“Can they do that?” Aaron was dumbfounded. He didn’t focus too much on the rules and regulations of the college. I mean, who actually did?

“I don’t know! I guess! Doesn’t matter. They’re doing it anyway!” The boy who had never cursed before, and never shown a modicum of anger suddenly sent Aaron’s coin collection flying. _Crash._ Right against the concrete dorm wall. 

“Spencer!” Aaron cried. 

Spencer was huffing, red faced, and still shaking where he stood. “I can’t do it, Aar! I _can’t_ I’m finally in a place where I belong, and I don’t want to leave just because my big stupid _fucking_ brain is being, well, itself! I don’t want to _be_ this way!”

He slumped down to the floor, holding his knees, breathing heavy, but not quite letting the tears that threatened the back of his eyelids flow free. 

Aaron was quick to feet, and knelt down beside his boyfriend, grabbing him into a big, all-encompassing bear hug. “Spence, baby, shhh. Please, let’s talk about this, okay?”

“What’s there to talk about, hm? I’m going be all alone again; you’re going to leave me, and all my friends are going to disappear, and no-ones going to want to associate with the _genius kid._”

“Spence, do you really think that? Look at me.” Aaron tilted his boyfriend’s chin up with his knuckle, forcing him to make eye contact. His eyes were bloodshot. “Sweetheart, I’m not gonna leave you. I’m not going anywhere. I’m really proud of you. And none of your friends are leaving you either. You’re not disposable, Spence. Just because you’re going up a level doesn’t mean people are going to ditch you.”

“D-do you mean that?” Spencer grabbed both of Aaron’s hands in his own, squeezing tight, holding on for dear life. He had to grab onto something steady so he wouldn’t tumble down the cliff he was hanging off of. 

“Of course I do. You’re not going to be looked down upon just because you’re a year or so younger. You’re a year younger than me and I think you’re amazing. You’ll just make even more friends. In fact, we’ll probably share some classes!” Aaron grinned. “And everyone will be there to support you. Me, Penny and Derek, and JJ, Emily, and Dave, too. We’ve all got your back. Me most though.” Aaron laughed, and gave him a sly smile.

“Thanks Aar.” Spencer leaned in for a soft, reassuring kiss. 

Aaron gave it happily. 

“I’m sorry about your coins. I’m going to clean them up.” Spencer said shyly, looking up at Aaron with puppy dog eyes. Aaron could never stay mad at that. 

“It’s okay. I’ll help you.”

\------------

By the time mid-terms for Aaron, and finals for Spencer, had rolled around, the two had spent endless hours in the library together. They’d made little games going over flashcards, sticking the definitions to their heads and rolling around in laughter trying to get them to stay on. 

Aaron loved to listen to Spencer prattle on about the intricacies of everything they were learning, or at least what he had learned last year. His heart swelled with pride when Spencer listed off every last detail and date of whatever he was learning. Spencer may not have found it endearing, but Aaron definitely did.

The night before the tests, they were lounging in the comfiest chairs on the fourth floor of the library in the psychology wing. Spencer had his feet inverted, and he was sitting upside-down with his head tipping back off the end of the chair, his long hair hanging down in loose curls. Aaron didn’t understand how he could be comfy doing that. 

“Somatoform disorders don’t even fit into any category, really, even though they are in the DSM. They’re just a collection of symptoms that can’t be explained away by any medical cause. Technically, it’s a diagnosis of exclusion rather than an actual diagnosis. There’s a lot disorders that can be classified this way; they’re legit, too, I mean, just because it’s a diagnosis of exclusion, it doesn’t mean it’s any less real. There’s conversion disorder, hypochondriasis, body dysmorphia, and pain disorder, to name a few. Originally, it was split into two categories, undifferentiated somatofor—“ 

Spencer droned on for Aaron’s eager ears.

In the morning, they kissed and went their separate ways, each to a classroom where they’d scratch in the bubbles, bubble after bubble after bubble. Spencer was done within the hour. He grabbed a coffee and a pair of scones and waited outside Aaron’s class where he emerged another hour later. 

“God, I can’t wait for the weekend.” Aaron smiled wide as the saw the coffee and food for him. “Mmmm! Thanks, Spence!” 

“Me neither. I’m glad you like my friends so much.” Spencer smiled softly. 

“Anyone that you approved can’t be half bad, right?” Aaron shoved him playfully, and Spencer grinned cheesily. 

“No, but playing apples to apples on a Saturday night with a bunch of nerds isn’t exactly the most appealing thing in the world.” Spencer retorted.

“Psssh, I love nerds.” Aaron winked, and took a sip of his coffee. 

Spencer blushed, hard.


	6. Anything for You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron and Spencer get hot 'n heavy. Spencer and Derek have a heart to heart.

Spencer and Aaron were almost free to enjoy their holiday uninterrupted by school. Tomorrow would be last day of classes before Spring break and Spencer never thought that it would come; it seemed like this week had stretched off into eternity. They weren’t planning anything extravagant, but they were more than happy to kick back on campus and enjoy their time alone. Besides, neither liked the prospect of going home or drowning themselves in drinks on a beach somewhere. 

Spencer was curled up next to Aaron in bed with some sci-fi movie droning on in the background. The two boys forgot they were watching it once they started getting into conversation about their friends and memories from their pasts. Aaron had his arm draped lazily around Spencer’s shoulders, and the younger boy’s head rested in the crook of his neck. Spencer’s arm held tight around Aaron, and their legs tangled together like licorice. 

Aaron breathed in the scent of Spencer’s minty shampoo and closed his eyes, near moaning. He placed a kiss in his hair and hummed in agreement to what Spencer was telling him. 

“That’s when Penny totally blew up on the professor— she went up to the front of the room and took the mouse right out of his hand, stating that if he could’t full-screen the powerpoint, then he didn’t deserve to have control of the mouse. I still can’t believe her nerve—“

“Jeez, that’s confident.”

“Or reckless.” 

“One of those.” Aaron mused. “Your hair smells nice.”

Spencer cuddled up closer against his boyfriend, nudging his head against Aaron’s shoulder, smiling. “Thanks. I shower.”

“You shower?” Aaron smirked.

“Hey! I do!”

“What? You said it, not me.” Aaron laughed, poking Spencer in the side and making him squirm.

Spencer couldn’t help but laugh and wiggle under his teasing. “Yeah, well, you _implied_ it!” 

“Implied what?” He kissed Spencer’s cheek.

“That I’m smelly.” Spencer grinned. 

“Yeah, and I love it.” Aaron pulled him tight, bodies smushed together, and he inhaled against his boyfriend’s neck, moaning dramatically.

Spencer closed his eyes and enjoyed the tingling feeling of Aaron’s breath hot against his neck and the gorgeous, albeit fake, moans coming from him. 

“Mmh, Aar, c’mon.” Spencer said hotly. 

“C’mon, what?” 

“Kiss me, please.” Spencer grabbed Aaron’s short black hair, which was getting slightly long, and catalogued the fact that he would need a haircut soon. He took Aaron’s lips against his own and worked against them, loving the taste of his mouth. 

“Mmmmh.” Aaron moaned back, not daring to break apart. 

He darted his tongue along Spencer’s lips and they they parted, giving him permission to deepen the kiss and twirl their tongues together sweetly. Spencer let out tiny, breathy moans of pleasure into Aaron’s mouth, and he moaned back in response. 

Then Aaron’s hand cupped the younger boy’s cheek, and his thumb rubbed circles on his high cheek bone. His other hand slipped down under his shirt, exploring the bare skin on his chest. Spencer’s torso was flat and toned, and felt silky smooth under Aaron’s calloused hand. He closed the kiss with a groan and trailed open kissed down to his neck where he kissed and nibbled lightly at the sensitive skin. 

Spencer curled his leg tighter around Aaron’s hip, pulling his lower half closer. He moved his chest forward towards the press of Aaron’s warm hand and snaked his own hand down to Aaron’s lower back, and then even lower, cupping his ass overtop of his jeans. Aaron bucked his hips and groaned from the contact and Spencer grinned happily.

“Oh, Aar.”

Spencer felt Aaron’s fingers brush against his nipple and he felt his pants tighten slightly. He turned his head and captured him in another sloppy kiss, moaning loudly. Then it trailed down over his navel and towards the waistband of his jeans. His heart started thumping in his chest. 

“Aaron, god, please” He couldn’t quite say what he was begging for ,but he needed it. 

Aaron leaned into him, curling his fingers into his long hair, and biting his bottom lip playfully. 

“Anything for you, Spence.”

“Mmmh—“

Aaron let his hand rub over the bulge in his boyfriend’s jeans, and he pressed down, creating a friction that Spencer seemed to unravel under. He moaned deeply, and his hips bucked against him.

“Yes, yes, so good.”

Spencer’s leg forced Aaron impossibly close, and Aaron rubbed his own trapped erection against Spencer’s thigh that was wedged in between his own. The motion and the sensation of Spencer’s hot, hard bulge against his hand, his silky hair wound around his fingers, and his deliciously minty and Spencer-y scent had Aaron moaning deliriously. Spencer was lost in his own fog of desire as well, thrusting up against him. 

“Oh, fuck, Spence!”

Then, a jolt of pure adrenaline shot through his veins as he heard the clicking of the lock, and the door opening behind them. Aaron jerked up, but not in time to hide the scene. 

“Hey, Aaro— oh, fuck. Shit. Sorry!” The brunette man stood in the doorway, eyes wide and hand clasped tightly around a stack of binders. 

“Ah, fuck. Hey, Will.” Aaron croaked out. He shifted so he wasn’t on top of Spencer, but sitting to the side of him. “I didn’t know you were going to be here. Sorry…”

Spencer covered his face in his hands. His face was a deep shade of red. “Sorry, Will!”

Will laughed nervously. “It’s okay guys, really. I’ll just get out of your hair, okay? I was, uh, going out now anyway.” He tossed his things onto the desk and bolted from the room. 

“Oh my god. How embarrassing!” Spencer groaned. 

Aaron let his head fall back against the wall. “Ugh, tell me about it.” 

He turned his head and met Spencer’s hazel eyes, giving him a sheepish grin. Spencer laughed, kissing him softly, and pulling him down to cuddle. 

“Fuckin’ dorms.”  
\---

The next day after his last classes Spencer plopped down on his bed and let out a contented sigh. He shrugged off his backpack and tossed it onto the ground.

“Hey, Pretty boy.” Derek said. 

His roommate was in the corner laying back on his own twin bed, face pressed close to his phone screen. 

“Hey, Derek.” Spencer smiled at his roommate. “You got any plans tomorrow night?”

“Yeah, man. Why, you wanna come?” He said, shifting his eyes away from the screen and smiling.

Spencer rubbed at his neck. “No, I, uh. I just wanted to have the room tomorrow. Um, alone.”

Derek grinned. He sat up and shoved the phone in his pocket. “Oh yeah? What for?”

“For, uh, y’know. Being alone purposes…” 

“Being alone with _someone else_?” Derek said, smirking. 

“Maybe…” Spencer blushed. 

“Alone with Aaron.” He wiggled his eyebrows and laughed. “Bout time, Pretty Boy.”

“Oh my god! Stop, pleaseee.” Spencer groaned, covering his red face with his hands. 

“What? I’m just messing’ with you!” 

“It’s embarrassing!”

“C’mon, it’s not embarrassing! I’m happy for you! If you want the room, I’m happy to get out for the night.” Derek said, his voice full of caring. 

“It _is_ embarrassing! You wouldn’t understand.” Spencer huffed. “You have girls falling all over you. You’ve had like, a million girlfriends! This is my uh, my first… everything. I barely even kissed before Aar. I’m nervous. It’s not like a fling, it means something. It’s different for me. I’m not used to this.” 

A flash of some emotion ran across Derek’s face but Spencer wasn’t adept enough to read it. 

“I don’t have ‘tons of girls’, man. I like girls, sure, and I flirt with a lot of ‘em all the time, but dude, they’re not like, disposable. They mean something to me, even if it’s just flirty friendship, or if it’s more serious. Besides, I only hook up with girls who are looking for the same thing as me, not anyone that wants a relationship. That would be really mean. I’m confident and pretty experienced, but I’m not a dick.”

Spencer’s face dropped. “No, I didn’t mean you’re a dick! Shit, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.”

“What, you just meant it like me being a man-whore?”

“Shit, Derek, no.” Spencer looked at him sheepishly. “I didn’t mean that at all. I just meant you know what you’re doing. You’re sure of yourself. Unlike me. I wasn’t trying to put you down. If anything I’d think you’d be the one thinking down on me because I can’t be confident like you and hook up properly. I know you aren’t out there taking advantage.”

“Are you kidding? No way I think any less of you, man. I love my life and what I do, but when I see what you and Aaron have, and how you guys are both so bright eyed and bushy tailed, it makes me a little envious that I’m past that point. I don’t think I’ll have that with someone. Sharing firsts and new experiences. I’m past that. It’s like going through the motions now.”

Spencer looked at him sadly, never having considered that point of view. Derek never gave any inclination hat he thought about love. No, not _love_. Well, maybe love? But, he never seemed to care for any of that. It knocked Spencer back on his butt. 

“Well, you haven’t been in love yet, right? that’ll be a whole thing, believe me, you’ll feel like you’re in a whole new world of firsts.”

Derek chuckled nervously. “A whole new world? Calm down, Aladdin.”

Spencer smirked and threw an eraser at his head. _Thwap_. “Trust me, I mean it. It’s amazing. You’ll have that with someone. You just have to find the right girl.”

“So you’re saying you’re in love?”

“What? No. I didn’t say that!”

“Yes, you did.”

“No, technically I didn’t.”

“Basically you did.”

Spencer groaned. “Don’t tell Aaron. I haven’t said it to him yet…”

“But you love him?”

“Yeah, I do. I love him a lot.”

“You gotta tell him, man.”

“I know.” Spencer smiled and rubbed his face timidly. 

“I’ll get out of here by 7 tomorrow.” Derek said. “And I won’t be back till morning.” He wiggled his eyebrows and grinned.

“Thanks, Derek.” Spencer smiled.

“Anytime, Pretty Boy.”


	7. Coffee at Noon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, so I have no idea where I’m going with this, so thanks for coming along for the ride. I’ve never written anything with this many chapters, really, and I’m still foggy about how you’re supposed to do story lines and shit. Anyway, eat this garbage, ya freaks. Also ily. 
> 
> Also, thoughts, comments?

Aaron woke up feeling lazy, and he had every right too. It was spring break and there were no classes for a whole entire week. That means sweet, sweet freedom. Seven days isn’t quite a lot of time, but it is a much needed break from looming deadlines and endless research papers. His boyfriend didn’t seem to share this relief, because Aaron woke up to a sticky note on his pillow that read ‘_Went to the library. Coffee at noon?_‘

Heck, yeah, coffee at noon. 

Aaron smiled a big cheesy grin and wiggled his face in the pillow to hide it. He very much loved the little things that Spencer did like writing notes and making dates. It made his heart flutter whenever Spencer did little gestures for him. Hell, _anything_ Spencer did made his heart flutter. 

He glanced at the green glowing numbers on his alarm clock and noted that it was only 10. He a bit of time yet. However lazy Aaron was feeling, however, he could never just lie in bed for two hours. He’d go stir crazy. 

Instead, he shuffled out of bed (and my god, it was hard to leave the faint smell of his boyfriend on his sheets engulfing him), and hopped into the shower. He washed up, then got to work brushing his teeth, shaving, and picking out something nicer than joggers because, hell, it was spring break and he had a coffee date with his adorable boyfriend. He grabbed a pair of fitted navy jeans and a baby blue dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the forearm, just how Spencer liked. 

He passed the time picking up one of Spencer’s books that were strewn all across the little dorm room and quickly got lost in the story of a lone alien stranded on his decimated homeland planet, who went through a series of bizarre obstacles to find his way off the smoking ball of ash. Aaron really only ever read the Spencer’s books when they were fiction and had some sort of story line; never any of those long winded research journals or detailed history books spanning entire centuries, because hell, that just wasn’t very _fun_ to read. He did, though, have a good amount of novels, and Aaron always smiled when he remembered that there were more ever since Spencer noticed he liked them. 

It was nearly noon when Aaron jumped up and made a mad dash to meet up with Spencer. He hated being late, and if he ran he could probably make it there on time. Damn that Inderitu and his hopeless search for another world! Aaron huffed and tried to calm his heart down to an acceptable beat before entering the shop, lest he look like he just ran all the way there, which he totally just did. 

Spencer saw him immediately when he walked in, and Aaron’s chest got all warm and fuzzy because Spencer’s face just _lit up_. Like, a huge smile that radiated to his eyes, and the cute little mannerisms he does when he feels romantic; he tucked a lock of hair behind his ear and looked down quickly before looking back up and holding Aaron’s gaze. He also abandoned whatever was in his hands and put them under his thighs like he suddenly didn’t know what to do with them. Aaron thought he was the most adorable guy in the entire world. No, he knew it. 

And he still couldn’t believe that Spencer was _his_. His own boyfriend. My god. 

“Hey, Aar!” 

“Hey, Spence. I missed you this morning. What’ve you been up too?” Aaron smiled, and took a seat across from him. 

Spencer launched into a description of classical literature from the 19th century and his eyes sparkled as he did. He was really very vivacious when he was excited about something, and apparently that did it for him. Though, Aaron didn’t fail to pick up that 19th century literature happened to be his mother’s field, so instead of probing him with questions on the subject matter like he usually would, he tried to guide Spencer into a more heartfelt conversation.

“She’s doing really well, she said so in her last letter. She’s picking up an extra class dealing with New England Brahmins and Llowell and all his earthy humor and oversober polite literature and even touches on some of his less didactic poetry.” Spencer said in a rushed breath. 

“Yeah, but like, how is _she_ doing? Y’know, without you there? Is she okay?”

“Yeah, I think so… she seems a little, I don’t know, less lively, but I think she’s dealing with it okay. I know she misses me. I miss her a lot too. I don’t know what I’d do if we didn’t have our letters…”

“Ah, Spence. I wish we could’ve gone back to Vegas for holiday, I’m sorry.”

“We? And why are you sorry, Aar? You didn’t prevent me from going. My empty wallet did.” Spencer laughed, and picked at his blueberry scone. 

“Well, I don’t know, if I had the money I would’ve liked to do that for you. And come with you. I don’t know. Maybe it’s too much too soon, but I’d love to meet your mom. See what deity gave rise this magnificent man.” He smirked and poked him in the cheek. 

“Y-you really would? Meet my mom, I mean?”

“Of course I would.”

“We’ve only been dating a little over half a year.”

“Oh, please. I know you could count it down to the second.” Aaron laughed and took a sip from Spencer’s coffee. “Oh, my god. Eeck. That’s so _sweet_!”

Spencer laughed and swiped his coffee back. “Then don’t drink my coffee! That should be illegal, actually. And yes, I know the very second. But I’m trying to be more, I don’t know, accommodating to conversation. Not put people off so much. Use generalities.”

Aaron furrowed his eyebrows. “You don’t ever have to change the way you act for me. I love the way you are. Unequivocally yourself. Long winded explications and all. But also, yeah, I think half a year is kind of serious, don’t you?”

“Well, yeah, I do.” Spencer blushed hard in his cheeks and tried to hide it behind his paper coffee cup. “It was always serious with you, Aar…”

Aaron ducked his head and this time he blushed. “I know, same for me.” He caught Spencer’s eyes and shared a sweet moment of silence and understanding before he continued. “I want to take you home, though, when I can do that for you. I’m gonna save up for it. Maybe for Christmas, or something. You deserve it, baby.”

Aaron could tell that his boyfriend was wishing that they were somewhere private at this moment just by the way his hands were twitching for him and how she shifted in his seat. Spencer would probably be clinging to him like a spider monkey and peppering his face with kisses if they were alone. And honestly, Aaron was wishing the same thing. Spencer could probably list of which mannerisms he was showing and Aaron kind of wondered what they were. Did he twice his hands too, or did he shuffle his feet against the floor a little too much? 

It didn’t matter though, because Spencer downed his coffee, and took Aaron’s hand before standing him up and leading him out of the coffee shop, presumably to go somewhere cozy and cuddle up.

oOo

“SPENCERRR!”

Aaron squeezed Spencer’s hand and stopped in his tracks, looking for the inevitable ambush of rainbow.

Penelope bounded towards the couple and flung her arms around them both, pulling them into a life-threatening hug. 

“Penny!” Spencer smiled. 

“Where’re you love-bugs off to?” She hopped up and down, looking at them like they were the cutest things in the world. 

“Oh, we’re just headed back to my dorm.” Aaron said. 

“Oh! Then you should come back to _mine_! Everyone’s gonna be there soon and we’re gonna watch terrible movies and rag on them. Please, guys, pleaseeee?”

“Well, I mean, we—“ Spencer began. 

“You were just gonna go hang in his dorm! You can totally, like, cuddle or whatever, but at mine! Nobody would mind!” 

Aaron looked at Spencer and raised his eyebrows. _It did seem kind of fun._

“I, we… Yeah, okay, Penny.” Spencer laughed. 

“Yaaaay!” She twirled around and fist pumped the air with an insane amount of energy. “C’mon!” 

Spencer looked at Aaron and rolled his eyes. He took his hand back in his own and followed Penny as she skipped her way back to Madison Hall.

Back at her dorm, which was filled to the brim with colorful _everything_, most of Spencer and Aaron’s friends sat around the living room arguing about something. Aaron heard the words _grubby_, and _cake_, and _jellyfish_, and he didn’t even want to know what that was about. 

“Aaron!” Dave looked up from the pile of VHS tapes. So apparently he made friends with Penelope. I guess it was hard _not_ to. 

It was kind of nice that both his and Spencer’s friends genuinely liked each other. Aaron smiled at the sight of everyone together in the cramped dorm. 

“Hey, man. Still on VHS, eh? Get with the times. It’s DVDs now.” Aaron teased.

From the side, a deafening squeal like someone was dying burst from Penny’s mouth. It was only her will to live that was dying. “Don’t you dare bring up DVDs, Aaron Hotchner! That’s _blasphemy._ Or, at least, it’s blasphemy until I can get my hands on one of those glorious machines. Ohmygod, Iwantonesobad! Why am I so POOR?!” She wailed and flopped down onto the couch, fanning herself. 

Suffice to say DVD players costed a pretty penny, they’d only been out for a year, and no college kid without a family wallet could afford one. VHS was cool, too, though. 

“Chill out, babygirl! We got plenty of tapes here, and they’re all awesome. Now get you butt down here right now before I come over there and make you!”

“Oh, my, is that a promise or a threat, my Sweet Sugar?”

Derek smirked. “A little bit of both. Now c’mon.”

Aaron pulled Spencer onto the couch and everyone settled on _8mm_, a film starring Nicholas Cage that was honestly the most nonsensical and creepy movie of all time. And really good to rag on. 

Penny and Derek squeezed into the old recliner, Dave sat on the floor with his legs all stretched out, and Aaron cuddled up next to Spencer on the couch, acutely aware that he really wasn’t going to be watching a single second of the movie while Spencer was right there beside him looking so cute, feeling so warm, and doing that annoying thing of making his stomach feel like it was knotted up in ten different places, in the best sort of way.


	8. Revenge Pillow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> our bbys are cute and hot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks 5 reading

A howling bout of laughter came from the group and Morgan fell off the couch and onto the floor, causing Penny to scream and frantically grab down at him.

_Can I interest you in a battery-operated vagina?_  
_No thank you._  
_Are you sure? I’d hate for you to be in one of those everyday situations that calls for a battery-operated vagina and not have one._

“Oh my GOD! I totally need one of those!” Penny said through giggles. “For like, everyday situations! You know!?”

“Oh, sweet thing, I _so_ know. Alllllll about those everyday situations.” Derek winked from the floor. 

“Shush, you guys! Toms is about to— Hey!” Dave was thrown back by a rouge pillow hurled at his face, and he made some sort of laughing honking noise that sent Penny back into a giggle fit and made Spencer snicker under his breath. 

Dave eyes were wide and wild. “Who threw that?!” 

The room was silent for the first time in… maybe ever. Or since Penny moved in, probably. 

“Well if no one did it, then you’re all going to pay!” Dave said, jumping to his feet and clobbering Derek with a pillow and letting out some animalistic battle cry. 

“Hey, hey! I wasn’t—It— stop that!” Derek huffed. “—wasn’t me! It wasn’t. I swear, dude— I swear!” 

Penny stuck out her tongue at Dave who didn’t dare lay a finger on her, and turned around so that he and Aaron made fiery eye contact. “You.”

“What?! No!” Aaron cowered a little, just at the glare. 

“You better run, Hotchner!” 

“Hey—!”

But Dave didn’t want to hear whatever Aaron had to say, because he was already stalking toward his friend like a puma ready to pounce. 

“I—I—“ Aaron shot up from the couch, limbs flailing everywhere. He slipped on the blanket that was over the hardwood floor and crashed to the ground, before he picked himself up faster than a coked up Usain Bolt, and grabbed Spencer’s hand in the process, pulling him to his feet, and yanking him towards the only other room in the dorm. 

“Catch us if you can, asshole!” Aaron laughed, and slammed the door behind him and Spencer, leaving Dave a mere inches away from being knocked in the head. 

“You gotta come out sometime, dude! And I’ll be waiting.” 

“No, we don’t!” Aaron huffed.

“We totally don’t!” Spencer mimicked, laughing uncontrollably. 

“Nah, they _totally_ don’t. I bet they have loads to do in there.” Derek wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. 

“Hey! That’s my bedroom! I sleep in there! Mrs. Princess Fluffywings is in there!” Penny yelled. “You two had better not touch Ms. Princess Fluffywings! Or you’ll have to face my wrath! She’s sensitive! She can’t see— see _anything!_” 

Derek pulled Penny onto the recliner and hugged her. “Don’t worry, babygirl. Our babies will behave.” 

Penny wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed. “You think so?”

“Eh, no. They’re probably already going at at.” Derek grinned and laughed, hugging Penny back. Penny gasped and slapped him on the head. 

“Oh my god—“ Dave stood at the door listening. “What are they doing in there?! Is that moaning?!”

“We’re NOT moaning!” Spencer yelled back. 

“Shut your filthy mouth, _Rossi_!” 

“Oh I don’t think I’m going to be the one with a filthy mouth, Aaron.” Dave shot back, smirking at Penny and Derek. 

Inside they heard a little cry and some shuffling around, and maybe some mumbling about murder and what they thought they could reasonably get away with. 

“We’re turning 8mm back on!” Penny called. “Get your beautiful butts back in here!”

“No!” came in unison. 

“Yeah, if you know what’s good for you!” 

“I didn’t even throw the pillow at you!” Spencer squeaked. 

“Hey, I didn’t either!” Aaron scoffed. 

Dave launched himself onto the couch, and Penny unpaused the movie. Hell, they would come out or not, the show was going to go on. Bring out the back up dancers, because it’s showtime. 

Spencer didn’t much mind being alone with Aaron in there, though, and that was saying a lot because there was a freakish amount of stuffed animals watching them from around the room and an amazingly creepy gang of troll dolls hanging out on the windowsill. 

What Aaron could only assume was Ms. Princess Fluffywings, was sitting in the middle of the bed in all of her wacky rainbow tuffed build-a-bear glory. Her little black beady eyes didn’t blink. Aaron toppled her over onto the floor and resigned her to a night on the hardwood. “She doesn’t need to see what I’m about to do.” He whispered in Spencer’s ear, pulling him down on the bed, and attacking Spencer’s neck with kisses. 

“Fuck— we can’t—“ Spencer breathed out, but then he pulled Aaron down by the collar and kissed him with days worth of built up tension. 

“We’ll be quiet.” Aaron whispered, pulling back from the kiss. “We’ll be so, so goddamn quiet.”

“C’mere, Aar.” Spencer slid his arms around Aaron’s neck and squeezed him tightly, feeling Aaron’s body heat radiate against him in the most entrancing sort of way. “I need you closer- so close, god.”

Aaron deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue in Spencer’s mouth, and delicately dancing around, before taking him more forcefully and leading the kiss in a fevered, jerky motion. Spencer began panting and writing underneath him, and he let out a tiny moan into Aaron’s mouth. 

“Shhh, baby.” Aaron cooed against Spencer’s cheek, and stroked his curly hair. “You sure you wanna do this now? Here?” 

“God, yes. Don’t you dare back out on me now, Hotchner.” Spencer smirked.

“You’re so fucking hot.” Aaron shuddered, and pressed down with his hips, creating the most glorious friction between them. 

“Mmh—“ Spencer shut his eyes tightly, and arched his back up to meet Aaron’s hips again. 

Aaron trailed his hands down Spencer’s body, and tugged at his shirt, exposing milky smooth skin, and he shimmied down to press his lips to it. Spencer’s breath caught again as he nipped at his belly, alternating between kissed and licking and biting. “Oh, Aaron—“ Spencer whispered. 

Aaron was pretty sure he was in the midst of developing some sort of whispering fetish. 

Spencer was breathing hot, looking dazed, and wiggling beneath him, and Aaron couldn’t get enough of it. He wanted to devour him whole. Take in every thing there was to look at, touch every bit of skin, burn Spencer’s smell into his memory for good. He wanted all of it, all at once. 

“Touch— fuck, Aar, touch me—“ he demanded, hoarse and grated in his voice. 

Aaron popped the button on his jeans and sashayed Spencer’s jeans down to the thighs. Aaron growled low, still keeping quiet, and was faced with Spencer bucking hips. He pressed his thumbs down into the sweet spot below his hip bones and pushed him down firmly into the mattress, and Spencer keened into his touch. 

“Just like that, sweetheart, my god, look at you, jesus.” Aaron choked out. 

He dipped his hands lower, trailing along the faint brown hair leading to Spencer’s groin, and left hot sticky breath along it. “You don’t know how many times I’ve thought about this, Spence, fuck.” He was far past the point of embarrassment. Here was his boyfriend sprawled out and moaning for him; he could stand to let him in on a few of his dirty secrets. “How many times— fuck— I’ve came to the thought of you… just like this… you’re so prefect.”

Spencer shuddered. He could feel it under his fingertips. Spencer let out a barely audible string of curses - it was the most Aaron had ever heard from him before. He pressed his mouth up against Spencer’s cock through the boxer briefs and left behind a hot, wet patch in all its lustful glory. Aaron pressed his lips up against it, then slid his tongue along Spencer’s length, and he quivered like a feather. 

“Off. Take it off- oh my god why— you tease!” Spencer half moaned, half laughed, and started frantically clawing at his boxers. 

Aaron grinned, helping him slide them off, and caught Spencer’s dick in his mouth before Spencer could really even process what was happening. It was just unfathomable torture, neediness, and _want_, and then - fuck - hot, so fucking hot, and wet, and sucking and movement and slippery fucking tongue darting around and touching anything and everything. 

“Oooooh fuuuuuu-“ Spencer groaned, and Aaron shot up hand up to cover his mouth. “mmhgmh——“

He just bucked his hips in reply, getting deeper in Aaron’s mouth. Wetter, if possible. He almost couldn’t stand it. Aaron moved his mouth in devious ways, and Spencer all of the sudden knew what a _sin_ really was, because fuck, this feeling was so far from pure that just the thought of it could send you straight to hell. 

Aaron really wasn’t fairing any better. His eyes were watering and throat burning, but he fucking loved it. He had a newfound realization that he _lived_ for this feeling. Nothing would beat it. He wanted Spencer’s cock in his throat 24/7. It tasted salty and musky, and something about it was so utterly satisfying. It made his own dick twitch with lust, screaming for release. 

Spencer was rocking his hips to Aaron’s steady rhythm, and he was embarrassingly close to losing it. He tossed his head back, mouth hanging wide open now, and eyes lulling back in his head. He managed to keep his voice low and throaty. “Aaron, Aaron, fuck— Aar! Please— I need it— oh god, I’m so close—“ He was shaking and panting, and grabbing the pink polka dots sheets so tight. 

Aaron sped up his movement and dipped down, taking the swollen cock further down his throat, and let out a moan of his own that sent Spencer right over the edge. “Oh—“

Aaron could feel the pulsing of Spencer’s release against his tongue and he swallowed his cum in two gulps before sliding Spencer’s dick out of his mouth, and grinning like a boy with terrible secret. 

Spencer was completely fucked out and panting, his skin sort of red and blotchy and moist with sweat. Some Aaron’s, some his. Aaron climbed up on top of his, knees on either side of his thighs and in a few quick motions has his cock out and spurting cum on Spencer’s belly, and Spencer was looking at him with stars burning in his eyes. 

“I dont even know—“ Spencer breathed heavily. “What to even— what to say— fuck.”

“I think fuck sums it up pretty well.” Aaron hummed against the little space between Spencer’s cheek and ear. “Though we still have that, too.”

“Christ, I think I’m going to die.” Spencer laughed, looking Aaron in the eyes. “You’re going to kill me.” 

“I’d never. I need you around too much.” Aaron smiled sweetly. 

“You sap.” 

“Yeah, and you love it.” 

“Do you… do you think they heard?” Spencer said, hardly above a whisper. 

“Well, I hope not. I really, really hope not.”

“I can’t go back out there.” Spencer shook his head and pressed up against Aaron. “Nope. Y’know what? Go ahead and kill me. I give you permission.” 

Aaron placed a kiss on his head. “M’not gonna kill you, baby. And there’s only one way to find out. We have to go out there.”

“Yeah, but, like… in a few minutes. I need to catch my breath at the very least.”

And when he did catch his breath, and Aaron combed his fingers through his hair, and Spencer triple checked that his shirt wasn’t inside out, they made the walk of shame out of Penelope’s room and —fuck— _how the hell_ did they know!?

“Heeeeeeeeeey, guys.” Derek cooed. 

“I told you not to traumatize my unicorn!” Penny whined. 

“I— we—“ Spencer stuttered, hiding behind Aaron. “I didn’t—“

“Fuck.” Aaron sighed, and then was promptly hit square in the face with a revenge pillow that knocked him straight on his ass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> edit: I'm writing this new story, it won't be super long, if anyone wants to beta it, message me or comment or whatever people usually do to communicate on here.  
:)


	9. Number Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron and Spencer and the crew go to a club.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry everyone that I haven't updated in forever! I've been working on something else (ops), but it is Hotch/Reid so you'll be seeing it eventually. And I've had a bunch of stuff going on personally like moving and working and blah blah blah. Anyway, it's been a while since my last chapter. This new chapter is long compared to the others, and is part 1 of 2. I realized it was getting long as hell so I split it up. Thanks for reading, as always! :)

The weekend flew by fairly quickly and Aaron had yet to initiate anything with Spencer. It’s not like he was _scared_, not really. No. He was fucking terrified. That would be big step for him. Hell, it’d be a big step for anyone. But it never felt quite right. The moment never presented itself. There was always Derek lurking around, Penny making tons of plans, and Rossi dragging them out every other night. 

He he was planning on trying something because it was the last day of spring break and it was basically now or never, but there came Penny with her ridiculous plans again. Aaron could see it in his boyfriend’s exasperated expression that he would rather stay in, but who could resist that bubbly girl? That _extremely persistent_ bubbly girl. 

So it’d have to wait. Or maybe they’d have time later in the night. Aaron wasn’t going to be picky anymore. 

So Penny came over Spencer’s dorm at around 8pm with JJ and Emily in tow. Aaron didn’t bother questioning how she’d even become friends with them. He didn’t remember giving her the intro. Was there anyone she couldn’t put under her spell? 

Derek was off somewhere with a girl from his social sciences class. Rossi was probably going to turn up after his shift, and Spencer ran out to grab something at the library last minute. 

The three girls were talking in hushed whispers and giggling more than Aaron thought was really necessary. They kept sneaking glances over at him too. That part worried him. He’d gotten to know Emily and JJ pretty well last year and those two together could be _trouble_. Just then, as all three pairs of eyes were twinkling with something, Aaron realized that combination plus Penny could probably be more than he could handle. He was just one man. 

Emily sauntered over to him and leaned against his desk with a cheshire grin plastered across her cheeks and Aaron was sweating. 

“Emily…”

“So…. Aaron. Aaron, Aaron, Aaron.” Emily giggled. 

“So… Emily.” 

“Soo…” She laughed, and looked over at JJ and Penny. "We're going out.”

“So? I knew that.” Aaron said.

“But you’re not going to like it.”

“Why not?” Aaron frowned, and looked over towards the two girls sitting on the floor. “JJ? Why not?”

JJ laughed and looked over at Penny. 

“JJ!” Aaron barked. JJ was usually the most level headed, and one of Aaron’s closest friends. He thought that he could get her to reason with him. Or break. Or tell him. Or something. But she wasn’t budging. She just mimed a zipper over her lips and tossed the key over to Penny. 

Penny was looking evil.

He really shouldn’t have done those things in front of Mrs. Fluffywings. 

“Just… get dressed. And wear something cute.” Penny winked. 

“I _am_ wearing something nice.”

“Yeah, and I didn’t say _nice_, I said _cute_, didn't I, Mr. Grumpy?” 

“Yeah, well, I don’t even have any clothes here, Pen, and I don’t fit in any of Spence’s.”

Penny huffed and looked around the room, seemingly finding nothing. “Fine! Fine, c’mere then.” She motioned him to come closer. 

Aaron rolled his eyes but went over to Penny. It was the least he could do, and would probably be a whole lot easier than changing his clothes, or god forbid, her making him bring her over to his dorm to rummage through his closet. She took her time fluffing him up, running her hand through his hair, popping his collar, and making him un-tuck his shirt from his pants.

Just at that moment, Spencer came in through he door and started laughing. 

“You guys look like you’re having fun.” he smirked. "That's a good look on you, Ar, what is it; hip hop star meets Monday night board games at the YMCA?”

Emily and JJ doubled over laughing from the couch. "Oh my god! Spencer coming in with _fire_!” 

JJ hit Emily in the shoulder, seemingly unable to breathe now, and Emily grinned triumphantly. 

“Hey! I’ll have you know they love me at the YMCA." Aaron huffed. “There’s nothing wrong with polos. They look nice, they fit nice, they make you look decently presentable.” 

Spencer laughed again and wiggled his eyebrows at the girls laughing in the corner. 

“You’re supposed to be on my side, baby!” Aaron whined. 

Spencer came over to his boyfriend and wrapped him in a hug. Aaron immediately smiled warmly back at him, and all was forgiven. Spencer didn’t mean a thing and he knew it. 

“You look like a million dollars, baby. The cutest boy in the whole world.”

“Ah, c’mon, you’re gonna make me blush…” He said, looking down and smiling. He was already blushing. 

“Alright, lovebirds!” JJ chirped from the couch. "Finish getting ready, and then we’re going out!”

“Yesssss. Spencer, Aaron can’t wear something cute, but you _so_ are!” Penny said, jumping up and down. 

oOoOo

They took the campus shuttle to the Metro and landed downtown where the girls took them over a few streets to P Street. A giant neon sign was looming overhead and turning the dark night sky a hazy shade of purple. It read “Number Nine”. 

“Number Nine?” Spencer said, walking alongside Aaron, holding his hand loosely. 

“What’s this place, Em?” Aaron said, eyeing the obnoxious sign. “I’ve never head of it before. 

Though Aaron held high grades, he’d been to just about every bar in the city at the request of his best friend Rossi. He’d never been here, though. 

“You’ll see!” Emily said, showing the security guard her ID. 

Spencer had to show a fake ID along with Penny. As soon as they got inside Aaron immediately knew that he did _not_ like it. 

It was a gay bar. 

And he was gay, sure, but he _had_ a boyfriend already. He didn't need to be at a gay bar. A regular bar would do just fine, and the girls wouldn’t even be getting anything out of it anyway, so he didn’t see why they dragged him there in the first place. Did they want to make him uncomfortable? Because they sure accomplished that.

“I don’t think this—“ He said. 

“Oh my god!” Spencer gasped. “Em, did you take us to a gay bar? I _love it_!”

Emily grinned and grabbed Spencer by the hand, pulling him away from Aaron and towards the bar. As the two left, he could hear Emily and Spencer’s excited chatter about how gorgeous the place looked with the twinkling lights and exorbitant amount of shiny abstract meltal statues. 

Aaron thought it looked tacky. But Penny was right behind him and gushing about something or other, and then pulling him over to dance. There was a catchy pop song playing that Aaron had heard on the radio quite a few times, and he relented when Penny started twirling him around and around. 

Two songs went by and Penny had a satisfied grin, so Aaron begged her off the dance floor and over towards the booth where he spotted his wirey little boyfriend, and Emily and JJ, the huge traitors. 

“Aar!” He smiled and laughed when he caught sight of him. "Come sit next to me! I saved you a seat!”

Aaron smiled right back, happy to be next to him, and slipped his arms around his shoulders. Spencer was so adorable. He was even more adorable when he had a drink or two in him and from the looks of the empty glasses on the table, he was just about as far in. 

“Ech, you’re all sweaty!” he giggled. His nose was all scrunched up and Aaron couldn’t help but press a wet kiss on his cheek. 

Aaron turned to JJ, who was sipping on something bright blue and fizzy, and didn’t bother to wipe the frown off his face. “So, then, is Rossi still coming, or...?” He trailed off. 

He wasn’t so sure Rossi would want to turn up to a place like this. He wasn’t sure if he’d agreed in the first place or if the girls had been lying to him from the get-go. 

“Rossi? Yeah, I don’t know, he might show up.” She said, focusing more on the purple curl in Penny’s hair that wouldn’t stop sticking up. 

Aaron sighed, but let it drop. Tonight would be over soon enough. The place was overdone and flamboyant as hell, but at least everyone was fully dressed. 

A few guys had shot him looks, and far more to his boyfriend, and that didn’t sit well with him. He’d rather go to a regular bar where everyone would leave them alone. Except for maybe those few girls that would take the initiative and buy them a drink. But they were harmless and usually pretty fun to talk to even after you let them know you weren’t interested. 

Here, it seemed, a lot people were taking the initiative. By the time Aaron sat down, two guys had already come up to the table and introduced themselves. And what for? There was an obvious couple and three girls. What were they hoping for? 

“I LOVE IT HERE!” Penny said, her smile about to pop off her cheeks. “Everyone is sooooo nice! I’m gonna stay here forever. Just camp out in a booth and get adopted by one of these adorable men.” 

“I wanna get adopted too!” Emily laughed. 

“Spencer, come dance with me! I wanna dance more!” Penny grabbed his arm. “Aaron barely danced! Come, my beautiful young genius!” 

“Hey-! We’re the same age!” Spencer retorted. He let Penny pull him out of the booth and towards the dance floor, before catching a look over his shoulder at Aaron who was winking at him. 

oOoOo

Emily and JJ spent the rest of the evening with Aaron catching up and making plans for the upcoming semester, in-between shots and half-drunken rants on the new release of Gods of Combat and whether or not Ringo Starr would ever get a full-back dragon tattoo. Aaron thought _no_. 

Beers were the only thing that he would order from the bar, but he was convinced to get up and order a few over the top extravagant cocktails for Emily and JJ, though he would have preferred not to. 

At the bar, he kept an eye out for Spence. Watching him dance was charming because his sense of rhythm was slightly off, but his heart was totally in it. It gave it him a totally endearing quality. Or maybe he was just so head over heels that his bad dancing looked good. Either way, watching Spencer dance from a far wasn’t the worst thing about that night. He was circling around Garcia, who was doing some sort of twisty handed two-step thing that made the sequins on her dress sparkle madly. They were both grinning like idiots.

Right before he pried his eyes away, because the bar tender pushed his drinks across the counter, his stomach dropped three feet. There was a tall, Spanish looking man with pecs that could kill and biceps that where sculpted to perfection that came up behind his boyfriend and snaked his around his shoulders, and Spencer didn’t even flinch. Why didn’t he flinch?

Penny was giving him this surprised o-face with wiggly brows and Spencer was blushing red as a tomato. But the guy behind him was sliding his hand down Spencer’s chest and whispering something in his ear and _that_ was enough. 

Aaron abandoned the drinks at the bar and headed into the crowd. He shoved past a few groups of men and when he reached Spencer and Penny, the handsome man was gone, and Spencer was twirling Penny in circles. 

“Spencer!” Aaron shouted above the blaring techno beat.

“Hi, baby!” 

Aaron reached out to grab his arm, and Spencer started gyrating towards him, trying to dance with him. 

“Who was that?” He asked. “Where did that guy go?"

“What guy?” Spencer strained to get his voice over the music. 

“The one, the one that was just here… All over you!" 

“Oh— I don’t know! I don’t know him.“ he shrugged, and slipped his arm around Aaron’s waist. 

“What did he say to you?” Aaron pushed. Spencer's thighs were pressed firmly up against his, and they were swaying together.

“What? What did he say? I don’t know, I could barely hear! Something about— something about a party later, I’m not sure!” 

“A party? You’re going to a party?” Aaron took a step back. 

“Hey! C’mere, Aar.” Spencer protested. “I’m not going to any paarty, what are you talking about? Don’t be ridiculous, baby. You barely got me to come out here.”

Aaron backed up again when Spencer reached out for his hand, and ignored his boyfriend’s frown. 

“’I’m— I’m going back to the booth.” He said, not quite loud enough for Spencer to hear. 

“What? You’re what?” Spencer shouted as Aaron turned away from him. 

Penny grabbed Spencer by the hand and raised it up, shimmying across from him and grinning. When Aaron looked back, he half expected Spencer to follow, and huffed as he headed back to the bar where his drinks were still hopefully sitting. 

oOoOo

“He what?” JJ said. “No way!”

“He’s a little firecracker!” Emily laughed. 

“No way, Em! He clearly didn’t want anything to do with it."

Aaron slumped down in his seat. “I’m telling you guys, he was blushing like crazy. And he was totally leaning into it. And, like, smiling and everything.”

“He didn’t back away or anything?” Emily asked. 

“No, he just kept on dancing like it was nothing."

“That doesn’t mean anything.” JJ said. “He could've been too shy to ask him to stop. Or froze up. Or maybe he just didn’t have a great reaction time because of all the alcohol.” 

“Yeah, maybe.” Aaron frowned. 

“But he didn’t seem to think it was a problem when Aaron asked.” Emily raised her brows, and took a sip of her drink.

Aaron nodded, looking at her. “Yeah, exactly! There wasn't any ‘oh my god, this creepy guy this or that’, or any complaining about getting touched by strangers.” 

“That is pretty weird, you gotta admit.” She agreed.

“Yeah, but it’s not like him.” JJ said. “He's not the type. I’m one hundred percent certain he was just too flustered to say anything.” 

Aaron dropped his head into his hand and sighed. "Yeah, that's probably the case, Jayje. It just sucks to see that happen, you know?”

Emily laughed, and nudged him in the side. “We're at a bar! Of course it’s going to happen. Just don’t let it get to you, okay? Sure he acted weird about it, but we’re here to have fun.” 

He grunted. “Fine. I’ll deal. I’m sure he didn’t mean anything by it.”

oOoOo

Penny and Spencer were headed back to the table with their hair all ruffled and eyes wild. They looked like they’d just ran a marathon and a half through the jungle. Penny was still somehow full of energy and bounding ahead with Spencer in tow, her grip around his forearm so she wouldn’t lose him in the crowd. 

But another force yanked him to the side, and he was split between being Penny’s half-run and— oh, the guy from earlier. What was his name again? Josh or something?

“Hey, sugar!” He said. He didn’t let loosen on his grip, and Spencer yanked his arm back. 

Penny stopped pulling too; she got boomeranged back and now was at Spencer’s side looking at Josh. 

“Uh, hey again.” Spencer said. Josh leaned in closer to hear him. Their faces were almost touching. 

“My friends and I are going to bounce in a bit. You think about what I told you?”

“What? About the party?” Spencer backed up a bit. He didn't like thing guy’s breath against his skin. “Yeah, sorry, that’s not for me.”

“What?! C’mon, Sugar, you’ll have so much fun, I promise. We're bringing party favors.” He grinned and patted the pocket of his skin tight pants. 

“No, erm, thanks, though…” He said, looking back at Penny, who was engrossed with his shiny rainbow Jordans. “I’ve got to go. Back to my boyfriend. He’s waiting for me. Right over there…” 

Spencer went to point at Aaron, maybe to give this guy a hint that he couldn’t ignore, but when he looked back, he could only see the back of Aaron’s head at he scooted out of the booth and disappeared into the crowd.

“Hey—!” Josh shouted. Spencer ripped himself away from Josh and darted after Aaron with Penny on his heels. 

“Spencer! Wait up!” She called. 

“Where’s Aaron going?” He said to Emily and JJ at the booth, slightly out of breath. 

They looked at each other with faces that were strained. Spencer didn’t like the looks of it. 

“Is he okay? What happened?”

“Uh, that ‘Tall, Dark, and Sexy’ friend of yours happened..." Emily mumbled. 

“What? He’s not my friend!” Spencer sputtered. 

“Well, you two sure seemed close.” 

JJ reached out her hand to Spencer. “Spence, don't worry, he's just jealous. You didn’t do anything, just go find him and talk it out.”

“No way, he needs to let him cool down.” Emily looked over at JJ.

“Penny? What do you think?” Spencer turned to his side and asked her. 

“Hm? I don’t know. I want to go to the party!" She smiled. 

Spencer rolled his eyes. “I’ll be back!” 

He headed out towards what he presumed was the second entrance on the side of the building, or at the very least, it was the way that Aaron was headed when he took off. There were tons of people dancing around him, pushing to and fro, having loud and animated conversations, and he couldn’t spot Aaron anywhere. 

Except— oh! There he was. He just tossed his empty beer in a can by the door, and Spencer called out to him. “Aaron!”

He looked up and Spencer could see the disgust on his face. _Disgust_? Why was Aaron so upset? He had no right to be jealous!

“Aaron, wait up!” 

Spencer was halfway over to him when Aaron went through the metal door to the dark street outside. “Hey—!”

The door shut just as Spencer got to it, and he had to push it open again to get outside. Aaron was standing with his coat half zipped and his arms shoved into his pockets, looking down at his feet. 

“Aaron! Where are you going?! Why are you running away from me?” Spencer shouted, still feeling the music from the club. It came out way too loud against the quiet street. There were only faint car horns and muffled conversations floating about, and the constant buzzing of the neon sign overhead. 

“Just leave me alone, Spencer, okay?” 

“What, why?” he hopped down the two steps to the concrete sidewalk. “What’s the matter? Why’re you acting like this?”

“Oh, please. You _know_ why.” He said, not even looking up ay him. 

“No, I don’t!” Spencer didn’t think he had any right to be mad about him getting hit on at a bar. 

“Well, you should!” This time it was Aaron that yelled, except it was on purpose, and Spencer could hear the anger dripping out of it. 

He back up a few steps. His heart lept in his chest and started up a new pace at a mile a minute. He didn’t like Aaron yelling him. He didn’t like it at all.

“You— you can’t yell at me!” Spencer retorted. He was getting nervous. 

“Yes I can! If you’re going to do whatever you want, then so can I” Aaron shouted. He was crossing his arms over his chest and still not looking Spencer in the eye. “Why don’t you just go have fun with your new friend, huh? I’m sure there’s a party that you’d rather be at with someone a little more fun.” 

“Where is this even coming from?!” Spencer asked. "Hey--!"

Aaron spun on his heel and was headed down the street, muttering something about being over it. 

“Aaron, _wait_!” But he didn’t.

“Aaron, come back! Aaron! Where are you going! Aaron?!”


	10. Everyone has Insecurities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uh idk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m thinking that I’ll write one more chapter for this fic and then end it. It was supposed to be a one shot and I continued it on a whim and now I have no overarching plot which makes writing it annoying. So, sorry if you liked this fic cause I got nothin’.
> 
> On the other hand, I have a long fic I’ve been working on which is the opposite from this because it’s really dark and depraved whereas this was super sweet. Im not sure how long it’ll take me to finish but I wrote ton so far. So that’s coming up on the horizon 🤷 
> 
> Also unrelated but if anyone is struggling with the whole covid thing going on and needs someone to talk to I’m totally here for ya. Times are flippin’ dark.
> 
> Anyway that’s my PSA if anyone cares to read it. Enjoy the chapter. Sorry it’s shorter than the rest.

Aaron picked up his pace and ducked into a little coffee shop as soon as he turned a corner. Hopefully that would throw Spencer off his trail. He really didn’t want to deal with him right now. He didn’t have that many drinks but his head felt like it was bursting from the inside out. Like someone took a bicycle pump and stuck it in his ear and just started pumping and pumping and pumping and— 

There was Spencer looking at him through the coffee shop window from the street. His nose was all red and his hair was flying everywhere. He looked _really_ sad. It almost made Aaron feel something, but it didn’t. Spencer was flirting with guys right in front of him like it was nothing. He wanted to finally go all the way, and Spencer was making it so far from special that he couldn’t even spell it. 

Why would he do that? Aaron took a step back instinctively. Spencer was going to leave him. Just like everyone else. 

Spencer came in, bolstering through the steady stream of late night caffeine addicts, and stood right in front of him. God, why was he even here?

“Aaron, what— what the fuck?!” Spencer panted. He'd been running. 

“Just leave me alone.”

“No! Hey—“ Spencer reached out to grab Aaron’s jacket, who turned his back and started to walk away. “Get back here, asshole! What’s gotten into you?!”

“Nothing! Nothing’s gotten into me.” 

“Well then stop acting like such a little bitch and talk to me!” 

Aaron grunted, yanking his arm away. “I am _not_. Don't say that. You’re the one—“ 

Aaron stopped, tight lipped and red faced. He was looking at Spencer with such a hard expression it’s like this wasn’t even the love of his life or something. 

“I’m the one _what_? I’m the one hanging with other guys-- getting up all close, whispering in their ears, Spencer— are you, do you want to see other people or—“

“What?! See other people? Why on earth would you think that?”

“There was that _guy_! You were whispering in his fucking ear.” He whispered harshly. 

No, he did to me, and I wasn’t into it! You can’t hear anyone in that place! I didn’t want him! How could you think that about me?!”

“Cause. You’re just, you’re going to get tired of me. And leave.” Aaron’s voice faltered. “I can’t lose you.”

Spencer’s shoulders fell, and he stepped closer. Without hesitation, he pulled Aaron close. He didn’t protest. “Oh, Aar, I’m not going anywhere.” 

“But y-you—“

“I wasn’t dancing with anyone, not really, it’s kinda hard to avoid people when you’re dancing. Nobody stays in their lane. I wasn’t trying to, and I mean that. I’m not going anywhere. I love you. No one else but you. Baby, are you listening?”

Aaron looked up to meet Spencer’s eyes, finally, even though he felt like he might cry at any moment. They were red and scratchy. 

“Aaron, I’ve never seen you lose control like this before." Spencer said, chewing at his lip. “Let’s get you home, okay? I think you need to rest. Maybe go to sleep for the night.” 

“I don’t know, yeah, I guess." 

“Don’t think we aren’t going to talk about this, though. You need to trust me, or else what's the point?” 

“I know.”

“Do you..?”

“Yes, okay? It’s just hard for me. You know that. You of all people know that.” 

“Of course I do. It’s hard for me too. And I get it, really, but I’m just asking you to try? Try to trust me? Think about all that we’ve been through together. You have to know that I’d never leave you. I love you. More than you’ll ever know.”

“But what about when you realize I’m not good enough for you anymore?” He mumbled. “Cause you’re gonna in a year or so at this rate and I’ll just be here trying my best to stay afloat. You’re going to realize how much better and smarter you are. Don’t you see how amazing you are?”

“Aaron…” Spencer whispered. “Do you think any of that really matters? Do you think I love you for your GPA?” He squeezed Aaron’s cold hand. “I love you because you’re sweet, determined, and ambitious. Because of the way you always hold my hand in public and you’re never afraid who sees. Because of the way you refuse to litter, or J-walk, or roll a stop sign. Because of the way your voice is all sleepy in the morning and you always yawn at least three times before you get up out of bed. Because of the way you never fail to make me feel special… make me feel like I’m the only one in a room full of people.” 

Spencer sighed, tearing up a little, but powering through it. “Cause of the way you smile, and how you can understand how much I’ve been through cause you been there too. Cause you see me for who I am, and I’m trying to tell you baby how much I see you too, and I never want to look away. Never.” 

“You mean all that?” Aaron said in a barely audible voice. He wiped at his teary eyes and shuffled closer in Spencer’s embrace. 

“Every last word, baby.” 

“Let’s go home.” 

“M’kay. C’mon.” Spencer whispered, and took Aaron’s hand, leading him out of the coffee shop and back to Aaron’s dorm. Spencer kicked off his shoes and changed into a pair of Aaron’s shorts because there was no way he was going back to his own dorm tonight, not a chance. 

He cuddled up next to Aaron, spooning him and running his fingers through his hair. His boyfriend was a big softie no matter what front he put up for the world to see. Inside he was all insecurity and emotion, and Spencer wanted to make it all better. I’m time he’d watch Aaron put himself back together and be all the more strong for it. He’d hold his hand and give him words of encouragement, and never leave his side. 

“Aaron?”

“Mmh?” He sounded sleepy.

“I just want you to know you’re it for me. I love you so much.” He whispered behind his ear. “You’re my forever.” 

Aaron hugged his hand closed to his chest and placed a kiss on it. “I love you too, Spence. Forever.”


	11. 0.000001% Chance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I got sooooo pissed writing this because halfway through my program crashed and it got deleted BUT HERE IT IS. I did it.

Spring break passed quickly. When they returned to school, Spencer started his new classes by joining in the tail end of them. He could do it easily. Catching up would take, what, a day or two at most?

The best part about the new classes was that Aaron was in three out of them. That meant so much more time together. Walking to class together was fun, sleeping over each other's dorms, studying together, bouncing ideas off each other; it was everything Spencer wanted out of college, and honestly more. 

Aaron seemed a lot more affectionate, if that was possible, after their little incident. They were always hand in hand. Always touching even if it was just bumping knees under the table. Finals were coming up, though, and things were getting tense for everyone. 

Derek was coming back to the dorm drenched in sweat more days than not from taking out his frustration on the basketball court. Penny turned into a literal furby that never shut up, even when you took out the batteries. JJ and Will completely disappeared into their own little bubble and no one knew where they went. 

Spencer himself was biting his fingernails so far down they were practically nubs. Being the genius of the group, he didn’t have much reason to worry, but he still did. There’s always that statistical anomaly that threatens him— what if that 0.000001% chance comes along and decides it’s time to fail something for the first time in… forever? It could happen. I could _totally_ happen. 

Aaron turned into something of a diva. He was hunched over his computer looking like a crippled Smeagol and leafing through his notes like his life depended on it. If you bothered him, God help you, you would never hear the end of it. 

And Spencer always wanted to bother him. 

“_Psssst. Aar._” 

“_Aar_...” 

“_Can you hear me? Aaron?_ ”

“_Aaaaaaron?_” 

“_What are you reading?_” 

“_Is that chapter 15? Can I read too?_” 

“_Wanna do flash cards?_” 

“_Aaaaron? Wanna do flashcards?_” 

“Oh my GOD, Spencer, shut UP!” Aaron whined, his voice tense and rising.

Spencer frowned, his lower lip pouting out. “I just wanted to study together...” 

Aaron let his head drop back against his chair with a _clunk_. “I know. Fine. Let’s do flash cards. But I really have to get through the rest of the course material by tonight. I still have Forensics and Criminology Tactics to review.”

“I can help!” Spencer said, his eyes bright. He really meant it. “This will help. I promise.”

So Spencer pulled out a handful of cards that the two of them made a few weeks back and they took turns reciting them off to each other. Spencer never failed to remember one, but Aaron was having close to a 60% success rate, and ended up goraning into his hands in frustration, completely overwhelmed and feeling like a failure. 

“Can you, like, just chill at your dorm tonight? I need to go over everything and I can't… focus with you here.” 

“Oh.” Spencer frowned. “Really? You never had that problem before.” He picked at the hem of his shirt sleeve. 

Aaron looked away. “Yeah.”

“I can just… be quiet?”

“Spencer, c’mon.” Aaron groaned. “Just let me be alone? Okay? I can’t listen to anymor—” Aaron snapped his mouth shut. 

“Anymore of what…?” Spencer knitted his brows, confused.

“Just.. it’s just…” Aaron groaned and kicked his feet under the desk. “Fuck, Spencer, I can’t study with you, arlight?! I’m really stressed out. Normally it’s really endearing how smart you are, I love it, but fuck, you’re schooling me in the material I’ve been learning for months, and you just started it, and I can’t even— I can’t even get through half of it without forgetting, and you— I’m so _stupid!_ It’s embarrassing. Okay? So can you just _go?_

“Aaron—!” Spencer scooted toward him, and he wedged himself back in the chair as if Spencer’s touch could burn. “I can’t— I can’t help it! I remember _everything!_ You can’t compare yourself to me! That’s not fair! You’re the highest scoring person in the class besides me, isn’t that enough for you? You’re saying things you don’t mean—”

“_No._ I mean it. Just go, Spence.”

“No! I’m _not_ going. You’re— you’re being ridiculous! I can’t help it! You can’t hate me for this! My brain is just all fucked up! I can tell you you the name of the street sign we passed on our fifth date, or the spout off the lines of the all previews in the movie we watched two months ago, or tell you what all the ingredients are in the hot sauce packets at Taco Bell— that’s not _normal_. It’s not even useful, it’s fucking annoying, actually, like what’s the point? There’s too much up there.” He panted, worked up and out of breath. “You can’t hold that against me, _fuck_, I knew this would happen! I’m such a fucking freak, I push everyone away, I knew you wouldn’t want to be with someone like me—” His voice broke and he launched himself at Aaron, wrapping his arms around his neck and pratically sitting in his lap. 

“Spence—!” 

“I’m sorry— don’t hate me! Please, I’m sorry. I’ll stop. I promise.” 

“Fuck.” Aaron deflated. “I’m sorry.” 

“Please, Aaron? Please?” Spencer’s eyes stung as he tried to hold back a wave of tears. 

“Spencer, I don’t hate you!” 

“Y-Yes you do.” 

Aaron’s shoulder was wet. 

“I wasn’t being fair, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. Fuck, I’m sorry. Don’t cry, baby, please.” He hugged Spencer impossibly close, shifting enough that he could grab Spencer’s thighs and bring them forward so his was straddled in his lap instead of awkwardly sprawled to the side. 

“Noone can love me. I’m the worst.” He moaned into his shoulder. 

“That’s not true. I love you so much.” 

“No you _don't._” he sniffled. “You’re just saying that.”

“It’s true. I love you.” Aaron nudged him with his shoulder and Spencer looked up, eyes red and wet. “Hey. Look at me. _I love you._ Okay? I fucking love you, Spencer Ried. Big brain and all. Especially that big brain. I’m sorry I made you doubt that. And I'm sorry I got short with you. I’m stressed. Finals are taking a toll on me. It’s no reason to yell, but.”

“You love me?” Spencer smiled, still sniffling. 

“Yeah.” Aaron laughed. “Since like, July.” 

“We met in May.”

Spencer was staring at him with such big, hypnotizing eyes. “I know.” Aaron blushed. 

“I love you too.” Spencer whispered, wiping his nose on his sleeve.

“You know, I didn’t say it the right way at all, but asking for alone time isn’t, like, me saying I hate you.”

“Yes it is.” 

“No it isn’t. Don’t you ever want to be alone, like, y’know, solitude? Decompression?” 

“Why would I want to be alone when I have you?” Spencer wiggled in his lap. “Do _you_ want to be alone?” 

“No.” Aaron chuckled. “I was just frustrated, honestly.”

“Last month you texted me every single morning, asked me to hang out 42 times, texted me 567 times, initiated conversation 120 times, shown up unannounced 12 times, and asked me to spend the night… 30 out of 30 nights.” Spencer laughed. “I didn’t think you valued alone time very much.”

“Fuck. Did I do all that?” he blushed. “I never noticed.”

Spencer wiped his wet neck with his sleeve and kissed it. 

“We’re a little co-dependent, aren’t we?” Aaron said. 

“Oh, yeah. Textbook.”

“Fuck.” he laughed.

“Yeah. Well, whatever, I love you.”

That’s very co-dependent of you, Spence.” Aaron grinned. 

“Asshole!” He pushed him further into the chair.

“Love you, though.” 

“Yeah. I love you, too, Aar.” Spencer said dreamily. I love you a lot.”

. . . 

Finals went well; that wasn’t a big surprise. Both Aaron and Spencer aced all of them. A week later they were clearing their things out of the dorms and saying their goodbyes to everyone that was going home for the summer. JJ and Will were both headed down both New Orleans, Emily was going… wherever she came from, and Penny was putting off going home to California. Spencer and Aaron didn’t have any problem since they were both living in DC.

Derek was hanging back, cracking jokes with Penny and Spencer, and trying not to let it show how upset he was that everyone was spitting up, even just for a few months. Penny was practically clinging to his side, and very close to fainting. The room was quiet for a minute, and only the sound of Spencer cramming packing paper into a box remained. 

“Huh?” Spencer looked up. Everyone was just staring at each other. 

“I don’t want to go back to Chicago.” Derek sighed. “I’m gonna miss you guys, forreal.”

“Aww, Derek.” JJ smiled. 

“Don’t go, then!” Penny whined. 

“Don’t go?” Derek laughed. “Y’know, actually, I was thinking… There's this apartment for rent that my friend from economics is going to put up. We could—” 

“Yes!” Spencer said excitedly. “—Yes.”

“Damn, Pretty boy. Not gonna beat around the bush, huh?”

“Nope. I don’t care. We’re doing it. Guys?” He looked around at everyone, then Aaron. 

Aaron grabbed his hand and squeezed. “I’m in.”


End file.
